Basic HR monitor recommendation request

[Jeffrey Lindy]

I want to buy my father in law a HR monitor for Christmas.

He's a track guy, does almost all of his running on the outdoor track or the indoor one in the winter. About 30 mpw, concentrating on the 400m for master's nationals and other races.

I believe that all he'd want would be an instantaneous readout of his HR (no need for a record, since he really doesn't run much distance at all), as well as a stopwatch so he could do his lap times and splits without having to have a second device.

http://www.amazon.com/Polar-RS100-Heart-Monitor-Stopwatch/dp/B000FW3Z6O

or maybe

http://www.amazon.com/Timex-Ironman-Trainer-Heart-Monitor/dp/B001GWWCJ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1291048250&sr=1-1

Any advice? I haven't used a HR monitor in almost a decade, and there seems to be an enormous variation in price even among the non-GPS models.

[Colby]

Jeff,

  Hey, the only thing I can recommend is what I have only used, a Garmin Forerunner 305. It has the heart rate montior and you can set it to show you your splits at whatever interval you want; from .25 mile to 1 mile. The only thing about the heart rate monitor is that it can be difficult to see it when you are running. It is small and in the top right hand corner. The device records it all like all the others, so you can check it out after.
  I am not sure if this will work for your father, but I love it! It looks pretty big, but it the watch is really light.

   -Colby